


Childhood Memories and Warm Embraces

by Moonlit_Catra



Series: She-Ra Write-Tober [17]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: ...for the most part, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, I swear this is soft, They hug and Catra gets to sleep, all of my fics are gonna be, soft content from now on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-22 04:09:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21069164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlit_Catra/pseuds/Moonlit_Catra
Summary: Catra surrenders to the Rebellion and she gets more than she ever thought she would.Day 17: Child





	Childhood Memories and Warm Embraces

One could say it was odd, how easily two people can click. But that's what had happened when Adora and Catra had been placed in the same room together.

Catra didn't remember anything before the Horde, the only home that she had ever known in her memory was the loud ringing of machinery and the cold metallic flooring beneath her feet. There was no warmth in these walls that echoed the heavy footsteps of soldiers marching to their tanks or the trainees rushing to their training.

There was no warmth until she had met Adora when she was a child. Adora had been the warmth that had shone a light on the darkness that the Fright Zone had left within her. Having that bond become part of her life had brightened up the never-ending suffering that she had to endure at the hand of Shadow Weaver and it made it easier for her to handle at times.

But even though Adora's presence made it easier and sometimes she allowed herself to have moments that the Horde would call weak. Though that did not mean she always had a chance to express those feelings. The upbringing at the Fright Zone did not encourage any show of weakness and in addition to Shadow Weaver's unforgiving and merciless upbringing, Catra had never allowed herself to truly show what she felt inside.

The only feelings that were ever encouraged or acknowledged were feelings that were fulfilled with anger and revenge in mind. Those were the only expression of feelings that had ever given her any results, it was what _worked_.

So when Catra had finally come to the realization that she had pushed too far and that she had fallen too fast, she allowed herself to show everything that she felt. It wasn't that she had wanted to reveal the emotions that had battled inside of her ever since she had been in the Horde, ever since Adora had left her behind. But, it was what was needed.

As she stood before the Princess Alliance, before Queen Glimmer whose mother she had gotten trapped in another dimension, she needed to show everything before them. She had to lay herself bare and tell them her experiences, her sorrow, her regret, her pain, her anger.

She had to show and tell them all because it was the only way to even begin to get them to understand why she was there in the first place. She was molded by Shadow Weaver's harmful hand into the monster that she had once been.

It had taken her so long to realize, it took her losing everything to get her to understand that what she was doing was wrong.

With that in mind, Catra spoke and spoke and she _cried_. This time the tears were not out of rage, her mask cracked and shattered before them all, before _Adora_. Adora who had been the only one to see the few tears of sorrow that she wept when she was a child.

She knew that they likely wouldn't believe her, not when they had already been hurt by her, not when they had already been manipulated by Shadow Weaver until she was caught.

Catra had fallen onto her knees before she had even realized it, each tear that cascaded from her eyes a reflection of the turmoil of emotions that she felt inside.

Her voice trembled, her words breathless as she cried. Her entire soul stood broken and naked before them.

She didn't deserve their forgiveness, that much she knew, not after everything that she had done. But warm arms had embraced her and for the first time in a long time, she felt grounded, her tears coming to a momentary pause as her teary eyes slid open.

Her gaze landed on blonde strands that covered the majority of her vision, the firm grasp on her shirt and familiar yet new scent surrounded her enough for her to tell who was holding her.

"A…dora?" She almost couldn't process what had happened, Adora's warm embrace being something that she never thought she would be in again.

The blonde soldier tightened her hold on Catra, burying her face in the shoulder of the brunette. "I'm sorry… I-I didn't know…"

"Why are you apologizing?!" Catra gasped out softly as a whimper escaped her, muffled by the fabric of Adora's red Horde jacket. "You were trying your best to do what was right… to save me…"

The magicat felt Adora shake her head against her skin, her own hands hesitantly moving to wrap around the blonde's waist, holding onto the fabric of Adora's jacket.

"Because… I left you behind…"

The whisper carried in the quiet of the throne room to Catra's ear, her eyes becoming overwhelmingly full of tears once more.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know you felt this way... I won't apologize for leaving, Catra... Both of us know that I had to leave... But I'm sorry for the way that I left... That I didn't let you come with me..." Adora spoke softly, pulling away to gaze in Catra's eyes.

A hand reached up to rest on Catra's tear-stained cheeks, Adora's thumb gliding over the damp skin and wiping away the tear streaks.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You should hate me..." A sad smile spread on the blonde's features.

"Catra... I could never hate you..."

The brunette felt herself tremble at the sweet words of reassurance that Adora provided her with, finding herself unable to do anything but cling onto the person comforting her.

It had been so long since she had been held by someone like this, after having destroyed every warm connection she had ever made in a fit of rage, it had been lonely.

But this moment meant everything to her and even though she had just managed to stop her crying, it quickly started up again when Adora reassured her. She had cried so much and she felt so exhausted that before she knew it she had fallen asleep in the blonde warrior's embrace.

She didn't feel how Adora lifted her up in a bridal hold, her head rested upon the firm shoulder of the other. She didn't see the exchange of looks or didn't hear the words being tossed around softly.

Adora carried the magicat to her room after getting the okay from Glimmer, though it was hesitant. It was evident that even Glimmer heard the sincerity and emotional tonality of Catra's voice.

When Catra had first sat foot into Bright Moon with her hands held high in surrender, all of the guards held their staffs in her direction in preparation to attack her. That was until they all saw her drop to her knees in exhaustion from making the trip from wherever she had come from.

Not only that, but she had broken down in tears upon setting foot into the Bright Moon castle. Glimmer had thought it had been some kind of trick, some sort of scheme to allow Catra to infiltrate Bright Moon, but Adora knew otherwise.

Catra wasn't one to allow just anyone to see her cry, she had pride that prevented her from showing that sort of weakness. It was so heartbreaking to see her just crack and let everything spillover, each word that she spoke making Adora's heart clench painfully at the sight.

The blonde was glad that Glimmer had allowed her to take Catra to her room, Adora knowing that the next option would have been keeping Catra in the spare room and that wasn't what the magicat needed at that moment.

Being alone after having such an emotional breakdown was difficult for Catra, she's one of the people that ever had the chance to witness her coming remotely close to what she displayed today. But she wanted to make sure of that after Catra woke up and she could ask her herself. Though for now, she'd let the brunette sleep.

\--

When Catra stirred, she didn't expect to feel warm. Even the blankets in the Fright Zone barely retained any heat. Yet she was warm and the fabric of the sheets didn't scratch against her uncomfortably and... The scent was familiar.

She felt as though she was safe and unconsciously, a soft purr could be heard in the quiet room. Her sleepiness making it easier for her to feel relaxed.

She hadn't felt like this since she was a child, curled up and warm and everything felt perfect. Except for the fact that she felt so drained and everything felt sore from how much she had cried and her head was pounding.

So she released a sound that only one person had ever heard her make, a bit of a whine to display her discomfort.

What she hadn't expected was for a warm hand to come in contact with her ears and scratch them gently. For a moment she had leaned into the kind touch, her eyes having slid closed once more as she melted into the touch.

Though about 30 seconds after, she pulled herself away from the touch, her bloodshot eyes widened in shock as her eyes landed on Adora.

"I... Where am I? I thought... Why am I not in prison?" Catra asked as she looked around frantically in confusion.

Adora reached for Catra's hands, holding onto them gently. "You passed out after you... You explained everything to us. Glimmer allowed for me to bring you to my room to get some rest... You looked like you needed it."

Catra really didn't know how she should have reacted to the explanation that Adora had provided to her, but she figured curling up back into the sheets wasn't such a bad idea. Though she wasn't sure if now that she was awake if the blonde would allow for her to remain in the room to rest some more.

"Hey… Could… Could I maybe… I know that I'll probably be sent to the prison now but…" The brunette's words were hesitant, nervous. Once again something that Catra had not often allowed anyone to witness. But for Adora, it only further showed how genuine the magicat was being towards… towards _everything_. 

The blonde reached over and carefully placed a hand on Catra's arm, holding onto it and guiding the other into her embrace. The action was soft and gentle but had so much meaning for the two despite the silence that remained between.

When the brunette slowly slipped further into Adora's arms and the soft purr from before continue, they didn't need any words to communicate from there. Their actions said enough.

** _I want you to stay with me… It's okay…_ **

** _Thank you, Adora… _ **

The two of them held onto one another, as though if they were to let go the other would disappear forever. It would take a long time for them to truly begin to heal, but this moment marked their first step into overcoming their past and emerging victorious in the future, the two of them side by side how they both knew it was meant to be.

**Author's Note:**

> My brain is scrambled and I am just continuously writing fics, but I hope you enjoy it! Writing these keeps me going through this midterm season.


End file.
